Sheathed ignition wire support and sheath connector



Dec. 20, 1936 R. G. LIVINGSTON 3,292,605

SHEATHED IGNITION WIRE SUPPORT AND SHEATH CONNECTOR Filed April 24, 1964 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent l I 3,292,605 SHEATHED IGNITION WIRE SUPPORT AND SHEATH CONNECTOR Russell G. Livingston, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Hallett Manufacturing Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 362,404 4 Claims. (Cl. 123'148) The present invention relates to a wire support and a sheath connector for sheathed ignition wires, and more particularly to an assemblage which is particularly adapted for use in shielding an ignition distributor of an internal combustion engine to assist in the elimination of the transmission of signals causing interference or static in a radio with which the vehicle in which the engine is mounted may be equipped.

Interference in two-way radios which are employed in automobiles and the like and which transmit on the low frequency ranges is a problem particularly when the receiver is some distance from the transmitter, so that the broadcast signal is weak. Ordinarily, under such circumstances it is necessary to shut off the engine to eliminate engine ignition noise.

It is known that predominantly the engine ignition signals which cause the above noted interference emanate from the ignition wires. Accordingly, the present invention contemplates means for simply and effectively connecting and grounding a metallic sheath or shield which may be disposed upon the ignition wire which extends between the engine ignition distributor and the spark plugs andon the ignition coil.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a device mountable upon a distributor cap and having means for connection with an end of the metallic sheath to anchor or connect the same to the distributor cap attachment and whereby the sheath may be grounded through the attachment.

Additionally, the invention provides in the attachment a shielding effect to reduce electrical signals which may be produced by arcing of the ignition breaker points.

In accordance with the foregoing, it is a more specific object of the invention to provide a dome-like attachment adapted to be easily mounted upon a distributor cap and having means for supporting and anchoring sheathing with which the ignition wires leading to and from the distributor are shielded, the dome-like member having a ground strip adapted to be connected to a convenient location on the engine or on the body of the distributor so that each of the shielding sheaths covering the respective ignition wires is grounded through the dome-like member.

Obviously, the ignition wire shielding may be grounded and anchored at its end remote from the distributor by means of the spark plug attachment as more particularly described and claimed in my co-pending patent application filed concurrently herewith, Serial No. 362,403 entitled Spark Plug Attachment for Grounding Sheathed Wires.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating the present invention as applied to a distributor cap which is shown in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view in section as taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section as taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and more particularly illustrating the means for anchoring the ignition wire sheath.

.In the subject illustrative embodiment, the invention comprises a dome-like member generally denoted at 1 having a marginal wall 2 adapted to surround a distributor cap generally denoted at C. At a suitable plurality of circumferentially spaced locations, the dome 1 is provided with apertures 3 through which the towers T of the distributor cap C may extend. In order to accommodate distributor caps of different makes and sizes, the apertures 3 are preferably elongated radially of the dome-like member so that towers spaced more or less radially outwardly of the center of the distributor cap will be accommodated.

Centrally of the dome-like member 1 it is provided with an opening 4 in which is disposed a resilient ring 4a adapted to engage about the central tower of the distributor cap into which the coil wire CW of the ignition system is adapted to be placed.

In the illustrative example, the dome-like member is provided with eight openings 3 and is adapted to be employed in connection with the ignition system of an eight cylinder engine having eight spark plug wires. However, it will be apparent that more or fewer apertures may be employed as may be required by the distributor caps of different engines.

Means are provided on the domelik'e member 1 for supporting in adjacent relationship to the respective distributor cap towers T the spark plug Wires SW and the coil wire CW.

For supporting the spark plug wires a pair of brackets 5 is provided, each bracket comprising an attachment flange 6, an arm 7 projecting outwardly from the attachment flange, and an upstanding flange 8. Means are provided whereby the respective brackets 5 may be secured to the marginal wall 2 of the domelike member in any of a number of selected circumferentially spaced locations as may be expedient in connection with any selected engine or distributor arrangement. To this end, the attachment flange 6 of the bracket is adapted to be secured as by means of a fastener 6a at any of the circumferentially spaced fastener -openings 6b spaced angularly about the marginal wall 2.

For supporting the coil wire CW a supporting bracket 9 is connected by means of a fastener 92: to the marginal flange 2 of the dome-like member and extends upwardly relative to the latter.

Each of the brackets 5 further comprises a series of grommets carried by the upstanding flanges 8, and the bracket 9 carries a similar grommet, the grommets being denoted at 10 and having an opening 11 therethrough. In addition, each grommet is preferably provided with an outer peripheral groove 12. As best seen in FIG. 4, a spark plug Wire SW is adapted to extend through the opening 11 in each of the spark plug wire supporting grommets, and the coil wire CW extends through the opening in the coil wire supporting grommet. Each such wire has a rubber shrouded connector 13 adapted to be engaged with the respective distributor cap towers T with the spark plug wire in contact with their poles and the coil wire in contact with its pole (not shown) customarily provided within the distributor cap.

As indicated above, the invention contemplates anchoring and grounding metallic shield or sheath disposed about the spark plug and coil wires, such sheath generally being denoted at 20 on each of the wires. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sheath 20 extends through the grommet opening 11 and the end of the sheath is turned back over the free end of the grommet so as to surround the latter in overlying relation to th periphera1 groove 12.

Means are provided for clamping the end of the sheath about the outer wall of the grommet and illustratively this means comprises a resilient clamping ring 21 which, as seen in FIG. 3, is preferably split as at 22 to enable its assembly over the end of the grommet and-int-o clamping engagement with the sheath whereby the latter is deformed into the groove 12 and thereby securely held in position. In addition, a rubber boot 23 is provided having an enlarged portion 24 adapted to surround the grommet and to press the sheath against the grommet, the boot 23 having an end portion 25 which engages and resiliently grips the coil wire CW, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

It will be understood from the foregoing that each of the grommets will, in the use of the present invention, support either a coil wire or a spark plug wire which has the shielding or sheath thereon, and the end of each of the sheaths will be anchored to the grommet as just described above.

Inasmuch as it is desired to ground the shielding sheath, suitable means are provided, and in the illustrative embodiment such means consists of a ground conductor strap 26 secured by means of a fastener 27 in any selected fastener opening 6b in the marginal wall of the dome-like member 1. The ground strap preferably is provided with a connector eye 28 at its free extremity which may in use be electrically connected to any adjacent portion of the engine or to the base of the distributor, as may be desired or practical.

From the foregoing, it will now be understood that the present invention provides a support which typically may be in the form of the dome-like member 1 which may be readily applied to the distributor cap and the support with the brackets 5 thereon suitably arranged angularly to support the spark plug wire-s as well as each of the grommets of the brackets with all metallic parts united so as to be electrically conductive and the ground strap 26 will ground all of the shielding or sheaths 20 of all of the spark plug or coil wires.

Grounding of the end of the shielding or sheaths 20 remote from the support and grounding device of the present invention may be accomplished in any desirable fashion, but one mode for effecting such ground is illusstrated and described in the above noted companion application.

While specific structural details have been shown and described, it should be understood that changes and alterations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wire support and sheath connector for an automotive ignition system: the combination of a distributor cap having a central coil wire tower and a plurality of circumferentially spaced spark plug wire towers; a coil wire connected to said cap at said coil wire tower; a plurality of spark plug wires also connected to said cap at the respective spark plug wire towers; each of said coil wire and spark plug wires having electrically conductive sheaths thereon; said member having a central opening receiving said coil wire tower and a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings receiving said spark plug wire towers; spark plug wire support means and coil wire support means; means on said member and said respective support means for securing said support means in selected angularly related positions on said laterally offset portions of said member; and each of said support means having means electroconductively connected to the sheath of said spark plug and coil wires.

2. A wire support and sheath connector for sheath ignition wires as defined in claim 1, wherein said circumferentially spaced openings in said member are radially elongated.

3. A wire support and sheath connector for sheathed ignition wires as defined in claim 1, including a resilient ring engaged in said central opening of said member and providing means engaging the coil wire tower of the distributor cap to hold said member on said cap.

4. In a wire support and sheath connector for an automotive ignition system: the combination of a distributor cap having a central coil wire tower and a plurality of circumferential-1y spaced spark plug wire towers; a coil wire connected to said cap at said coil wire tower; a

plurality of spark plug wires connected to said cap atsaid spark plug wire towers; each of said coil Wires and spark plug wires having an electrically conductive sheath thereon; a dome-like member having a' marginal wall; said dome-like member having a central opening and a plurality of circumferentally spaced openings said spark plug wire towers and said coil wire tower of the distributor cap extending through the respective central and circumferentially spaced openings; a bracket having an attachment flange; means securing said attachment flange to said marginal wall; a plurality of grommets carried by said bracket and each having a central opening through which a spark plug wire extends; means for elec-,

troconductively securing the sheath of each of said spark plug wires to its grommet; and means for supporting the coil wire and electroconductively connecting the sheath of said coil wire to said dome-like member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,088,101 2/1914 Schimmel 17478 1,969,866 8/1934 Wild et al. 174--35 2,204,316 6/1940 Miller et al. 2,347,019 4/1944 Authur 200-19 2,862,993 12/1958 Schmidt 174-89 X 3,128,139 4/1964 Estes 174--35 FOREIGN PATENTS 230,902 3/ 1925 Great Britain.

555,749 9/ 1943 Great Britain.

404,582 6/ 1943 Italy.

LEWIS H. MYERSgPrimary Examiner. D. L. CLAY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WIRE SUPPORT AND SHEATH CONNECTOR FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE IGNITION SYSTEM: THE COMBINATION OF A DISTRIBUTOR CAP HAVING A CENTRAL COIL WIRE TOWER AND A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SPARK PLUG WIRE TOWERS; A COIL WIRE CONNECTED TO SAID CAP AT SAID COIL WIRE TOWER; A PLURALITY OF SPARK PLUG WIRES ALSO CONNECTED TO SAID CAP AT THE RESPECTIVE SPARK PLUG WIRE TOWER; EACH OF SAID COIL WIRE AND SPARK PLUG WIRES HAVING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SHEATHS THEREON; SAID MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING RECEIVING SAID COIL WIRE TOWER AND A PURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED OPENINGS RECEIVING SAID SPARK PLUG WIRE TOWERS; SPARK PLUG WIRE SUPPORT MEANS AND COIL WIRE SUPPORT MEANS; MEANS ON SAID MEMBER AND SAID RESPECTIVE SUPPORT MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN SELECTED ANGULARLY RELATED POSITIONS ON SAID LATERALLY OFFSET PORTIONS OF SAID MEMBER; AND EACH OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS HAVING MEANS ELECTROCONDUCTIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SHEATH OF SAID SPARK PLUG AND COIL WIRES. 